What is your favorite animal, and Why?

Some of you love an animal because of its look,or its character,etc?
Tell us you favorite animal,a wild life you specially associated with. You might have unique and moving stories with a dog, or cat,that penetrated your heart? Share with us those unforgettable stories. It is wonderful to hear mankind's bond with animals,it touches our heart. Thanks for sharing.

I presume Little Girl must have been around 10 when I found her frightened, alone and starving on the streets of Key West. A tiny gray puff of fur, she had taken refuge in the roots of a tree in my friend Ricks yard on Bakers Lane. She was getting beat up by the younger and stronger cats in the area and obviously not getting much to eat.

She weighed only six pounds and I knew she would not make it much longer on her own. Rick took to feeding her and took her in, but his big male cat went after her. So, quite reluctantly I took her home. Another cat with no home, I thought at the time.
Why me? She was clearly an abused feline, and so very scared. When I took her home for the first time she hid under my house only venturing out for food at night. I did not want this, but if I did not help nobody else would. At first, I would not see her for days. She would gulp her meal and then run in fear. Quite some time later I was able to coax her inside where she hid under my bed, literally for years. I hardly knew her.

Eventually, when I sold my home I dragged the poor little thing with me all the way to Arizona. She panicked in the truck. She hid as best as she could under my seat and watched on guard at night peering out the windows of my camper top. Finally, we were starting to become friends, but what a pain she was, and not at all like most of my cats, or most any cat for that matter. I always liked cats that looked good, or were strong animals. Little Girl did not even have teeth and she was elderly and deaf. Her meow was course and funny sounding, but she was cute as could be and looked right into my eyes. She grew on me. She would curl into a little upside down ball when she slept. Whenever I woke her she would startle because of her deafness, still fearful. Over the years, I came to love this little cat very much, and in due course she would sleep in the crook of my arm. I came to think of her as my success story.

Mar 25 2014:
I admire how cats live in the moment and stress free, due to their complete disregard for what others think.
If I had a cat attitude for a day I likely be fired, divorced, and in jail, boy wouldn’t it be great!

Mar 19 2014:
I would say crows are my favorite animals. They may not be the most intelligent animal but they are relatively very clever. I'm not really sure why I'm so drawn to them, to be perfectly honest, but I am.

Mar 20 2014:
Recent research has found some crow species capable of not only tool use but also tool construction and meta-tool use. Crows are now considered to be among the world's most intelligent animals[ with an encephalization quotient approaching that of some apes. -Wikipedia.

Intelligence is a human defined notion applicable for human use. It can not scale animals.

Mar 20 2014:
Absolutely, the documentary "a Murder Of Crows" shows some examples of this. That show is part of what prompted me to start the conversation "Is intelligence an inevitable step in evolution? " a few weeks ago. There was an expiriment showing them solving two and three step problems, though not all crows are not quite that intelligent.

Mar 20 2014:
We have very wrong notions about animals. Hyenas are considered evil, dirty creatures while they are very social and sensitive animals. There is absolutely noting royal about lions. Donkeys are more intelligent and obedient than dogs.

Mar 20 2014:
We are actually one of the only houses on our street that don't have donkeys. They are used to protect livestock from predators like coyotes. Donkey s are very territorial and protective animals.

Its strange sometimes the stereotypes that people hold of certain animals. Like some people think chimpanzees are cute animals, but they can be very visious and violent.

Mar 20 2014:
Amoeba. Because its name sounds funny, its cute for a microorganism, it eats by 'hugging', It doesn't have feet but it makes do, but don't underestimate it, Amoebiasis can certainly kill. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amoebiasis

I never realized it then, but she became a motive for me to enjoy life, a fulfillment, a raison d'Ãƒtre for my existence. Oh yes. Last winter while visiting Key West, Little Girl and I went to visit Rick. Although ten years had past she remembered Rick and walked over to where her mighty tree once stood, but was now a driveway. She looked worried that her safe tree was gone. Afterward, Rick held Little Girl and I took some pictures. It was a wonderful day for everyone and I cherish the memories.

This summer, Little Girl became ill. She wanted to be in my arms. She knew she was sick. I felt honored that she would place her trust in me. She never gave up right to the end, still staring into my eyes as only she could and oh my god it hurts.

My home and heart are empty and I feel strangely cold inside. Although I am deeply heartbroken that is not why I am telling you her story so read on to the next section.

Without a heavy sense of regret, I am writing to let you know that I wish I could have changed a few little things and just a few. There were times when she wanted me to pet her a little more, or hold her a little longer, but I often felt I needed to rush elsewhere and do some stupid human thing. And, at this stage of my life I have come to realize that most human things really are stupid in the big scheme of existence. Now, I can not even remember what was more important than her at the time. I am writing to tell you that spending time with a cat or any needy animal that loves us is most likely more important than anything else we do. Think about it, you are your animals whole life! Our pets are sentient and conscious animals with feelings just like us. So the next time you feel the need to rush out the door, to do some stupid human thing, stop and think, and remember what is truly important in life.

You seem being obsessed by the adorable feeling Little Girl gives you. I guess you didn't expect that lasting and warm relationship the first time you adopted Little Girl,maybe partly because of that surprising bond nourished through years of living together,you value and enjoy the feeling more.

It is great to hear such kind of stories. You are pretty proud of the closeness of Little Girl and you, aren't you?

A Cat person goes to work to sleep on his desk, plays a computer's keyboard when it feels good, lets others feel honored when they hold him in their arms expressing their admiration. He jumps on anyone's lap whenever he wants attention, confiscates food from other's plates to play with it on a floor, chases everthing that seems to be hiding, and starts vigorous bloody fights with neighbors for his own territory even when it is not officially registered as his own. He dreams his private dreams in his blessed solitude and shall not be ever disturbed!!

Mar 25 2014:
Living rurally every day I see how wild life changes every year, so far this year owls, hawks and coyotes are plentiful, last year rabbits, humming birds, and deer. So far walks in the woods it is the variety of animal life that I love, never being sure of what I may see enriches the experience.

As a gardener I have an appreciation and fondness for pollinators, humming birds, butterflies, bees makes me smile. With both how they are helping and their natural beauty.

But my favorite is my German shepherd, he (and my pets before him) has been my pet therapist for my MS bad days, activity motivation for my good days, companion, with a perfect balance making me feel needed and that I’m being taken care of. It is a win/win relationship, and isn’t that what life is all about.

Mar 24 2014:
This sounds like a college essay application type topic. 8>)) - I guess my favorite animal would be the grasshopper mouse. Given his size, he is quite a hunter and howls like a wolf. I sometimes think of how small we all are in the universe and howling to indicate we are here and alive.

Mar 21 2014:
My life was very challenging at that time plus I was about to lose my house.

Almost every night I saw a small cat hiding in my front yard. It was cold and very windy. I started leaving some cat food outside. I eventually saw him - it was a very undernourished, bitten by other cats kitten who had some other injuries. He was a born-wild kitten about a year old terrified to get near anyone. It was a miracle that he was surviving for so long by his tiny self..

I was told it's too late to adopt him - trap him and bring to the animal shelter! Even the thought of it was horrifying! I felt we were both homeless and helpless, but I'm the one who shall rescue both of us.

Miraculously I had all the patience to get some trust from him, while he was gulping his food I could touch the tip of his ear. There were many cold nights and I was around to defend him from a few fat neighbor cats trying to push him away and get his food. Every time I saw him leaving in the dark my heart was aching..

One night I noticed his neck was badly bitten and bleeding. Using treats I somehow convinced him to get inside my house. I left him in one of my bedrooms with a warm kitty’s bed . He was healing fast - I used aloe vera plant.

Well, to make this story short - I had to move to a smaller house, but I managed to buy it. I took all the risqué to move Baby-Tiger with me. I had to take him to the vet for a check-up+ before moving , both were very traumatized once more!

He is now my sweetest, most intuitive, trusting in-home-cat and about 2 years old.
He grew up, his fur is lushes and he is radiating with happiness. We sense each other without any words and he is following me everywhere inside the house just like a little doggy.

Every time when he is scared of visitors (he is still very scared of people) he runs into my hands as he did this when he was a young kitten.

Mar 20 2014:
For me its the dolphin. I love how they seem to play their lives away. they never seem to be unhappy or frustrated or depressed. I can just imagine a mother after giving birth to her baby dolphin telling him/her to have fun and not worry about anything else.